'I can be a citizen in society': New call center for people reentering society takes more than 100 callers on first day

More than 100 people on Monday used a hotline designed to help former prison inmates get jobs and housing.

The Recidivism Reduction Call Center began on Monday. Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services Executive Director Kerwin Pittman created the call center.

According to Pittman, the call center was funded by donations and grants and is the first such call center in North Carolina.

“This goes hand-in-hand with Second Chance Month,” Pittman said. “We want to make sure this hotline will be around for years and evolve into something never imagined before.”

Emmanuel Snellings said he used the call center after serving eight years in prison. He said he lost his job recently, but the call center helped him secure a job interview.

“I can be a citizen in society,” he said. “I can be a man of my household that I need to be because people don’t understand that.”

The call center is open from 9 a.m . to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To contact the center, call 1-888-852-0004.